Affectionate Goodbyes
by sinfullysarcastic
Summary: '"Bye, babes." He froze. She froze. Sharp intakes of breath could be heard, tension could be felt. "…what did you just call me?"' Mick Campbell calls his girlfriend 'babes.' The only problem is Patricia Williamson is not his girlfriend. Micktricia.


**DISCLAIMER: I don't own House of Anubis.**

**Set Season 1, House of Rendezvous/House of Rescue**

Mick grinned as he surveyed his housemates, Amber and Nina by the stairs, Jerome, Alfie, and Fabian by the boys' rooms. Mara, his girlfriend, stood right in front of him, looking a bit teary eyed. Mick raised an eyebrow at this- he wasn't going to be gone for _that _long, he was just going to America for about a week for the scholarship.

He looked over the room once more, eyes searching for _her_. Patricia Williamson, of course, who was conveniently nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Williamson?" he asked, failing to notice Mara's diminishing smile. He probably wasn't supposed to bring up another girl right now, but he couldn't help it. He needed to know why Patricia hadn't come to say goodbye.

"She's not coming down," Amber informed. "I woke her up and everything!" Mick bit his lip before turning to Trudy and offering her a smile.

"Trudes, could you get the taxi to wait a bit?" he asked, and Trudy nodded. Mara cocked an eyebrow.

"Mick, it's sweet of you to want to stay a bit longer for me, but I can handle it, really-"

"I was actually going to go check on her," Mick scratched the back of his neck and Mara let out a soft 'oh' before looking down and blushing in embarrassment.

"Right, go ahead," she stepped aside, and Mick grinned, pecking her cheek before darting upstairs. Maybe he should've noticed the jealous glint in Mara's eyes, but he didn't. Maybe he should've seen the warning in Nina's eyes as he passed her, or the disapproving glance from Amber, but he didn't. Or maybe he did, and it just didn't register until he was knocking on Patricia's door.

* * *

"Mara, for the _last _time, Mick's _only _going to be gone for a week, you don't have to cry- _oh_," Patricia paused as Mick stepped into her room, sending her a small smile. Her mind was blurred from yesterday's events, being kidnapped and all, and the lack of sleep was definitely affecting her. Maybe that was why she was feeling a bit breathless looking at him.

"Hey, Williamson," Mick grinned, hastily coming over and sitting at the edge of her bed. Patricia eyed him, pulling her knees up to give him more room.

"Shouldn't you be off to America by now?"

"Couldn't go without saying goodbye," Mick laughed nervously, punching her lightly on the arm. "So…goodbye."

"You came all the way up here…for me?" Patricia gestured to herself, self-consciously wondering if her hair looked okay before stopping. She wasn't _that _kind of girl, what was she doing?

"Yeah," Mick grinned. "Don't look so surprised, Williamson, c'mon."

"And Mara was okay with this?"

"Why wouldn't she be?" Patricia almost sighed at how oblivious he was to Mara's raging jealousy. But it made her feel special that he had taken the time to visit her, so she didn't say anything about it. An awkward silence fell over the two and Mick stood up. "Well, uh, wish me luck, yeah?"

"You won't need it," Patricia shrugged, standing up too. But she bit her lip anyway and stood up, leaning over before she had the time to think. If she had thought about it, she wouldn't have done it, and she would've regretted it.

Her lips touched his cheek before she pulled back. Mick opened his mouth and then closed it again like a fish, and she decided to lighten the mood, playfully but awkwardly returning the punch he had given her earlier. "That was for good luck, yeah?" Mick nodded numbly, and Patricia rolled her eyes. She had really ruined it now, hadn't she? Now he was probably going to tell her he didn't feel the same way and she'd be hearing the rejection instead of just seeing him kiss Mara.

"Well, my taxi's going to be coming soon," Mick muttered, looking down. Patricia snuck a peek at him to see his face looking red, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had made him blush like that. He crossed over to the door, "Bye, babes."

He froze.

She froze.

Sharp intakes of breath could be heard, tension could be felt.

"…_what _did you just call me?" But her voice wasn't hard with anger, instead soft with disbelief.

"Nothing," Mick finally said, not turning around, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I'll, uh, see you when I get back."

"Yeah," Patricia nodded, telling herself that he didn't actually call her 'babes' because that was a word reserved for his girlfriend.

And she _wasn't _his girlfriend.

* * *

"Finally," Mara let out a breath as Mick practically flew down the stairs, terribly confused. "I was getting worried you'd miss the flight!" And he grinned- this was sensible Mara.

_Sensible_.

Hadn't he said he didn't like sensible? _Patricia _wasn't sensible-

No. He was not thinking about this.

"You were up there for so long," Mara said, straightening out his coat. Mick shrugged.

"A little _too _long, perhaps?" Jerome interfered, and Mick clenched his eyes shut. The last thing he needed was stupid Jerome Clarke pointing out the obvious and planting seeds of doubt inside everyone's heads. Even Mara had paused now, hands still on his coat, eyes scanning him, forming theories in her mind.

"_Mick_?" And there was a demanding edge to her tone, and Mick sighed, running a hand through his hair before glaring at Jerome.

"Shut up, Clarke," he scowled, quickly pecking Mara on the lips before grabbing his suitcase and dashing away from that house, that house with those people that made him feel things he never wanted to.

* * *

"Jerome," Fabian scolded. "Mick's not like that, I can't believe you'd accuse him of such a thing!"

"But he _was _up there a long time," Alfie practically sang. "Longer than it takes to say goodbye with words!" Jerome laughed as Alfie made kissing faces into the air.

Fabian turned to Mara, who looked repulsed and heartbroken at the same time. "Don't worry, Mara. Mick didn't say he did anything, and you have to trust him on that. I know Mick, and he didn't confirm Jerome's theory at all." He turned to glare at the blonde, who shrugged innocently before smirking.

"Okay, so he didn't confirm it," Jerome agreed. "_But_, I didn't hear a denial either, did you?" Everyone fell silent and Jerome grinned. "That's what I thought."


End file.
